Surfside Kids Pediatric Dentistry — Local services in Brunswick

I don’t normally write long reviews, but I feel obligated to share our experience in hopes it helps another parent avoid the stress and emotional toll we went through yesterday.

My 9-year-old had his first and last visit with this practice. He’s never had dental anxiety or a bad experience in all years prior of routine cleanings and checkups — until yesterday.

I was initially impressed upon entering the office. The waiting room is super clean and a fun, yet calm environment for children. The front desk team was friendly and welcoming. However, the moment we were called back by the hygienist (Rowe? Still unsure of her name as she was mumbling.), things felt off. She didn’t greet us, didn’t introduce herself, and barely spoke. He was already in pain and I had made it clear when scheduling and again in person to the hygienist that he might not tolerate a cleaning due to what appeared to be an abscessed tooth. Still, the hygienist decided to proceed, and throughout the cleaning she was sighing loudly, making sarcastic comments, and threatening him with possible injury (“if you don’t stop moving your tongue, this instrument could cut it open”), or getting visibly frustrated and telling him repeatedly to “keep his tongue out of the way” followed with a loud sigh and visibly annoyed body language. Naturally, he became nervous and tense — which she scolded him for, saying he “needed to learn how to relax” his lip.

At that point, I asked I asked if we could just proceed with the exam and finish the cleaning when he isn’t in pain from an infected tooth. She responded by turning off the overhead TV he was watching and walked out without saying a word. She returns to the room and no explanation was given before placing the x-Ray sensor, and when he teared up (after tolerating the rest of the appointment quietly), she began to repeat loudly to him “QUIT BITING ME! YOU’RE BITING ME!” While trying to get an x-ray of the infected tooth. The hatefulness and undeniable agitation tone and body language from her was absolutely unacceptable and the most unprofessional thing I’ve ever witnessed. He was NOT biting her. She was shoving the sensor on the side of his mouth that was in agonizing pain.

The exam with the dentist was short, with several proposed treatments that I didn’t get the clarification I needed, due to trying to console my child while struggling to make sense of the horrific treatment my child was just given by the hygienist.

After the traumatic experience with the hygienist and the overwhelming treatment plan, I left in complete distress — and my son in worse pain than he came in with. This appointment destroyed his confidence, brought him to tears, and left us with more questions than answers.

I understand bad days happen. But none of this was appropriate for a pediatric office. Poor communication, no consent for procedures, and a complete lack of compassion — especially for a child in pain — is unacceptable.

We will absolutely not be returning and are seeking another provider immediately. I drove an hour to get to Surfside Pediatrics in Brunswick because of a few good referrals. Don’t make the same mistake that I did. Do your research before scheduling. Please be cautious and advocate for your child. I only wish I had spoken up sooner...

Turns away patients in need solely based on vaccination status. This is pathetic and a shameful, and unethical way to treat people by medical professionals. One day society will look back at the injection of known neurotoxic chemicals into children while experiencing the increase of autism and autoimmune diseases and wonder how it was even possible… and in response to Surfside’s response: This was an actual patient experience. Are you now not only unethical, but also gaslighting and denying this was an actual experience? My 4 year old who is actively in dental pain that could have been solved today, was turned away and denied medical care. She’s not sick, she has no symptoms of communicable disease. So for others it is a helpful review to see how unethical medical professionals have become. It seems from your smug, uncaring response that you think you sit at some intellectually and philosophically superior position with your policy, but I wonder if you get insurance kick-back bonuses like other pediatricians whose patients are fully vaccinated? Do you mandate healthy diet and exercise programs for your patients? These are things that actually make someone healthy. Here’s just one reason it is unethical. You are mandating a medical procedure that has known harmful side effects in some people and in a percentage of the population that medical product is actually contraindicated (reference any vaccine packaging insert) This medical product is also manufactured by companies that have no legal liability. You somehow think this policy of mandating is ethical and will turn away healthy patients who in are pain based on that policy. After asking AI about the medical ethics of this situation, here’s the response: A physician shall support access to medical care for all people. Physicians are ethically obligated to support access to medical care for all people, regardless of vaccination status, and must not terminate the physician-patient relationship solely because a patient refuses vaccination. This aligns with the principle of justice and the duty to advocate for patient access to care, including for those who are vaccine-hesitant or refuse vaccines. It would be considered unethical to deny medical care solely based on vaccination status. Physicians should not end the physician-patient relationship simply because a patient refuses...

Be prepared to spend way more than what is CONFIRMED! I had to scheduled 3 additional appointments after my 4 year olds initial basic cleaning that cost more than $350, the 2nd appointment was suppose to be close to $600 for a cap and an extraction. The 3rd was suppose to be $400 for a couple of fillings. We went in for the 2nd appointment and I paid almost $600 because they charge before anything is ever done. The dentist took a look around in my sons mouth and said she would rather put 2 caps in instead of extraction because of his age. She never mentioned an additional charge or said it would be more expensive to do so. When all was said and done I was told it would be an additional $300 for the extra cap. I was shocked! I’m not rich and we don’t qualify for any type of assistance so I would of had to pay out of pocket. I let them know I was not informed of any price change and the dentist who did the work made it sound like it would be covered with the payment I already made. They cleared it up and made up a new bill with the remaining visits and payments. A day before the 3rd appointment the receptionist called me and I asked her to confirm the price of the work being done to avoid any issues like our previous 2nd appointment. I could hear her conversation and then she put me on hold for over 15 minutes. She finally came back and CONFIRMED it would be a little over $650. When we went in for the 3rd appointment they wanted to charge me almost $800. I asked why? When they called me the day before confirming a completely different and lower price. The receptionist said she had no idea and didn’t see any notes or credits for the confirmation price of the day before. The receptionist left and got the owner or boss but no one could tell me why I was given the wrong price. I was so frustrated,...